Thursday, 5/14 - Let us essay to write our essay

MAaN is a giddy thing

• P&P

• Film - Much Ado

• Tomorrow: 

1. Short MAaN quiz
2. Final exam essay (prompts below)

Hey there y'all! I'll post the prompts for your Final Exam Essay by class time tomorrow. Today I want you to kick back, relax, kick a friend in the head, relax, and enjoy some of the finer moments of Much Ado about Nothing . . . for MAaN is a giddy thing, and this is my conclusion.

Here are your prompts for your essay dealing with The Taming of the Nothing and Much Ado about the Shrew. Remember that Shrew was first performed in 1593-94 and Much Ado in 1598-99, so any development you notice should begin with his earlier work.

Remember that you should plan for a five or an extraordinarily well-developed four paragraph essay. Please put together a working thesis statement in advance, along with your topic sentences and an array of supporting details. 

You will have the entire class time on Monday to put this bad-boy together ; )

God bless you as you prepare. You have been a wonderful class! Go hard now and we'll enjoy some relaxation during your exam time.    

Final Essay Prompts

1. What is Shakespeare doing with his display of Mimetic Desire (desire that is learned, mimicked)? See Leithart pages 255-258. Is he doing drastically different things in these two dramas, or is he developing and furthering a study of mimesis as he moves from Shrew to Ado? (This is sort of the looking-glass-self prompt.)
2. Catheruccio vs Beatrick (or Petratherine vs Benetrice): which couple's love is more profound and why?
3. Examine Shakespeare's use of "drama" within these dramas. How many "plays" or "fictions" are there in each? What is Shakespeare saying about the nature of his creative art and its interplay with life that we too often believe to be un-storied?
4. Shrew or Ado?: which work is a deeper biblical comedy (not to be confused with "funny") and why? See Leithart's section "The Bible as a Master Story" (pages 14-19) and "Introduction: Comedy" (pages 203-04).

 

Much Ado - Journals

Much Ado - J1 (Lesson One: Intro and Acts 1.1-2.1)

1. Explain the structure of the play.
2. Explain the title of the play.
3. Why is Don John angry with Claudio?
4. How are love and war different? Similar?
5. What is the "romantic" view of love? The "commercial"? How are are they two sides of the same coin?
6. What is Beatrice's view of love and men?
7. Why does Benedick resist love and marriage? (explain using the term "cuckoldry")
8. What is the history of Beatrice and Benedick's relationship?
9. What is "mimetic desire"? How does this theory account for Claudio's "love" for Hero? How does it reflect Benedick's fear of love?




Much Ado - J2 (Lesson Two: Acts 2.2-3.3)

1. Explain the significance of the order of the five scenes.
2. How are Don John and Don Pedro similar and different?
3. How is Don John's description of his deception significant on a biblical level?
4. How does Shakespeare's Much Ado venture beyond, yea, provide a nuanced perspective of, the stale theme, "appearances can be deceiving"?
5. How does Shakespeare's resolution to the problems of appearance and reality save his audience from slipping into skepticism?
6. Why does Benedick think it unmanly to be in love?
7. Why is Benedick's description of falling in love vital to an understanding of true love? How does this understanding of love contrast with Claudio's understanding and experience? How does Benedick display his own understanding?
8. What is important about what Benedick and Beatrice's friends say about them that induces them to love one another?
9. How does the character of Dogberry fit the themes of Much Ado?



Much Ado - J3 (Lesson Three: Act 4)

1. How are the fulfillment of the two deceptions directly linked, and why is this significant?
2. What does a wedding signify, and how is Claudio and Hero's wedding "a hellish, demonic parody" of an ideal wedding?
3. Why does Claudio direct such a public outrage toward Hero (in other words, what does this tell us about the nature of his "love")?
4. How is the imagery of nakedness, covering, and shame used in the wedding scene?
5. How is Friar Francis's proposal a fitting solution for the play, and how is it reflective of how several early church fathers understood the gospel?
6. Why is it significant that Beatrice and Benedick profess love for each other immediately after the first wedding?
7. Why does Beatrice want Benedick to kill Claudio?
8. What is her conception of most of the men of Messina?

Monday, 4/28 - Reno not here but Leithart still here ; )

• Those of you responsible seniors who weren't here for block day, be sure (if you are reading this) to bring your copy of Leithart on Monday ; )

• Work on your two remaining journals. You can find them HERE

• I will see you tomorrow, Lord willing. I hope you mine some glories from Leithart; he has some really good stuff on the Gospel in these two journal reading. God bless!

Tuesday, 4/22 - Continue Shrew

• P&P

• Commence Act 1.1 (remember we just finished the Induction scene with Christopher Sly "the lord")

HW: Keep up with Leithart as we read, doing your journals as we go. You have the three I will be assigning. 

Wednesday, 4/9 - OK. I Caved. Today is a work day ; )

• P&P

• Work day! Do your posters and/or your J1 and such. You're welcome ; )

• The Taming of the Shrew

HW: Poster and J1 due block

Tuesday, 4/8 - Taming the Shrew in You

• P&P

• 20 minutes to work on your posters, which are due block day.

• Quick film overview of Taming of the Shrew  

HW: Work on your projects and do Shrew - J1 (by block day)

Shrew - J1 (Induction and Act 1)

1. What is the point of the two "induction" scenes with Christopher Sly? How do these scenes relate to the action of the main play?
2. What is the structure of Act 1? Why did Shakespeare arrange the scenes in this way?
3. Why has Lucentio come to Padua?
4. What is Tranio's advice? How does it fit with the two models of education discussed in Leithart?
5. What does Lucentio call Bianca when he first sees her and why is this significant?
6. What kind of character is Bianca?
7. What does Katherina mean by saying that her father has made her a "stale"? How does this help to explain her shrewish behavior?
8. Why is Petruchio in Padua? How are his reasons for coming different from AND similar to Lucentio's?
9. What kind of man is Petruchio?

 Shrew - J2 (Act 2)

1. Explain the structure of Act 2. Why is it significant that Katherina has tied Bianca's hands? What happens to Bianca's "hands" by the end of Act 2?
2. How does Petruchio approach Baptista? What does Baptista seem most interest in?
3. Why does Petruchio insist on calling Katherina "Kate"?
4. Give some biblical examples of the importance of names.
5. What is Petruchio's method for courting and taming Kate? Why does he approach her this way?
6. What does the relationship of Petruchio and Kate suggest about the importance and power of words?
7. Explain or illustrate the difference between "imagining" and "saying" something. What does it have to do with the play?
8. How does Petruchio constantly change Kate's meaning? How does this fit with his plan to tame her?
9. Are Petruchio and Kate in love? How do you know?

Shrew - J3 (Acts 3-4)

1. How does Petruchio dress for his wedding? Why? How do his actions reflect his attire?
2. Describe Bianca's education. Why is it significant that she has never heard of a "taming school"?
3. In what sense does Bianca "take her sister's room"?
4. Why does Petruchio constantly attack his servants? How does Kate react?
5. Explain the double meaning of "stoop."
6. Why is it significant that Petruchio refuses to le Kate eat or sleep?
7. What does Petruchio do with Kate's new clothes? Why? How does this fit with larger themes of the play?
8. How does Kate show that she has become submissive to Petruchio?
9. Does Kate's submission stifle her liveliness and creativity?
10. Explain the "sun" imagery in the last part of Act 4.

 

Monday, 4/7 - Use your time . . . wisely.

• P&P

• Today is the last day that I'll give you class time to work on your posters. Tomorrow we begin The Taming of the Shrew.

HW: Get you a copy of Taming and bring to class tomorrow. To get a head-start, read Leithart's intro to comedy tonight and also his intro to Taming.

Block, 4/3 - Mactest and Project

• P&P

• Mactest

• Banquo's "Progectny"
• Six groups of two
• Your job is to create a poster that uses three selected texts from Macbeth, visual imagery (fine art - drawing), and a six to fourteen line original poem of your own composition to sketch a particular character. Your poster should include the following:
1. Character's name prominently placed
2. One shorter snippet of quote below the name that best sums up the character
3. Three additional quotes thoughtfully placed that represent your character
4. An artistic component that highlights your character's experience(s) and/or traits
5. A 6-14 line poem of your own inspired by your character. 

• This project will be due at the beginning of next block day.

Wednesday, 4/2 - Finish Macbeth

let's finish.

Test tomorrow.

Tuesday, 4/1 - Let's just do the test today

• P&P

• We're going to do a pre-test today, just half of what the real test will be on blawk ; )

HW: Don't forget to finish Leithart on Macbeth for Block.

Monday, 3/31 - Finish Act 4 of Macbeth?

Malcom and Macduff

• P&P

• Ladies and gents, let's try to finish Act 4 of Macbeth today. I'd really like to finish it by Wednesday so we can test on it on block. The test will be short, comprised of eleven quotes. Then we will move on to some comedy (glory!).

• There is no J12; you must, however, finish reading the final section of Leithart and take notes.

HW: Begin finishing the final Macbeth reading in Leithart and take notes of what you believe important.

Wednesday, 3/26 - In the good ol' days, the dead stayed dead!

A truly scary LMB (and Patrick Stewart, of course)

• P&P

• Check seniors' J11

• Let's see if we can get through the Banquo . . . I mean, the banquet.

HW: Juniors, finish J11 before we depart for lunch (no early release Thursday since seniors will be mousing around).

Tuesday, 3/25 - Ceremony

Macbeth meets with the murderers

• P&P

• Continue Act 3 Scene 1 - Macbeth meets the murderers

HW: Finish J11 (due tomorrow for seniors; juniors can work on it in class on Thursday ; )

Monday, 3/24 - The Milk of Human Kindness

• P&P

• Discuss J10

• Begin Act 3

HW: (due Wednesday)

J11 - Macbeth: Acts 3-4

1. What does MB mean by his “fruitless crown” and “barren scepter”?
2. Shouldn’t MB be satisfied that he is now king? Why or why not? and how does this affect Banquo?
3. What does the feast symbolize, and what makes a feast different from a common dinner?
4. How does MB behave at the feast and why?
5. What effect does MB’s behavior have on the feast, and how does this reflect the situation in Scotland?
6. What does MB mean when he says, “Blood will have blood”?
7. How do you know that MB does not intend to repent of his bloody course?
8. How do the three apparitions link to the theme pertaining to equivocal communication?
9. Why does Malcolm tell Mcduff how evil he (Malcolm) is?
10. How does scene 3 highlight MB’s tyranny? (there are two ways)

 

Block, 3/20 - Macbeth, a Gunpowder of a Play

Gunpowder Plot Conspirators

• P&P

• A little historical background to Macbeth 

• Continue with Act 2

• Begin J10 

HW: J10 (due Monday)

J10 - Macbeth: Acts 1.5-2.4

1. Describe the biblical typology of Macbeth (MB) and Lady Macbeth (LMB). Who are they?
2. What details link LMB to the weird sisters, the witches?
3. What is important about both the location and the content of MB’s soliloquy?
4. What are some of the consequences that attend the “life” of the wicked, the guilty?
5. How do MB’s and LMB’s views of guilt differ?
6. What is significant about the “knocking” that begins just after the murder?
7. How does nature’s order reflect that of Scotland?
8. How does MB first “gild” his deathly deed?
9. Why do Duncan’s sons respond to the murder of their father in the way they do, and how might it be misinterpreted?
10. Why would Shakespeare write a play in which the “climax” occurs in the second act? In other words, what does he intend to show happening during the remainder of the drama?

Monday, 3/17 - Macdeath

• P&P

• Discuss J9

• Begin drama

Block - THICE and J9

• P&P

• THICE on Hamlet (and Julius Caesar)

HW: Read Leithart's intro and material on Macbeth. J9 is due Monday.

J9 - Macbeth: Act 1.1-4

1. How does Shakespeare's drama change the historical particulars of Holinshed's Chronicle of Scottish History?
2. What are the three spheres that suffer when one attacks “the proper order of things” (and give one example of each)?
3. What are the two views of manhood that the play addresses?
4. Is power inherently evil? Why or why not? What is its purpose?
5. How does opening the play with witches serve to advance Shakespeare’s dramatic agenda (there are several answers)?
6. What is the political situation in Scotland when the play opens?
7. Explain Macdonwald’s—Thane of Cawdor—immense importance for introducing, foreshadowing, and foiling Macbeth’s character.
8. Why are Macbeth’s first words important?
9. What is Banquo’s reaction to the witches’ predictions?
10. What effect does Duncan’s announcement—that Malcolm is his heir—have on Macbeth’s plans?

J10 - Macbeth: Acts 1.5-2.4

1. Describe the biblical typology of Macbeth (MB) and Lady Macbeth (LMB). Who are they?
2. What details link LMB to the weird sisters, the witches?
3. What is important about both the location and the content of MB’s soliloquy?
4. What are some of the consequences that attend the “life” of the wicked, the guilty?
5. How do MB’s and LMB’s views of guilt differ?
6. What is significant about the “knocking” that begins just after the murder?
7. How does nature’s order reflect that of Scotland?
8. How does MB first “gild” his deathly deed?
9. Why do Duncan’s sons respond to the murder of their father in the way they do, and how might it be misinterpreted?
10. Why would Shakespeare write a play in which the “climax” occurs in the second act? In other words, what does he intend to show happening during the remainder of the drama?

J11 - Macbeth: Acts 3-4

1. What does MB mean by his “fruitless crown” and “barren scepter”?
2. Shouldn’t MB be satisfied that he is now king? Why or why not? and how does this affect Banquo?
3. What does the feast symbolize, and what makes a feast different from a common dinner?
4. How does MB behave at the feast and why?
5. What effect does MB’s behavior have on the feast, and how does this reflect the situation in Scotland?
6. What does MB mean when he says, “Blood will have blood”?
7. How do you know that MB does not intend to repent of his bloody course?
8. How do the three apparitions link to the theme pertaining to equivocal communication?
9. Why does Malcolm tell Mcduff how evil he (Malcolm) is?
10. How does scene 3 highlight MB’s tyranny? (there are two ways)

Tuesday, 3/12 - Hamlet THICE (Take Home In Class Essay)

• P&P

• Begin getting ready for your Hamlet THICE (4 or 5 paragraphs). You may choose your prompt, write a thesis, snag some topic sentences, compile your support, which should include quotes (from Hamlet--and Julius Caesar if applicable--not from Leithart), and bring your heavy artillery (outline) to class Thursday. Please do NOT go online to scour secondary sources; I will be double-checking anything that feels like an internet oil slick. Here are your prompts:

1. Hamlet or Brutus? Who is the more tragic character and why?

2. What theme is Shakespeare developing about “acting”? In other words, what is Shakespeare saying about the nature of “drama”?

3. Examine how and why Shakespeare develops one of his key image clusters: A) poison-venom, B) death-decay-rottenness, or C) any other you find revealing. What is he saying with these images?

4. Throughout Hamlet, Shakespeare uses body imagery, real bodies, and the body politic. Consider the nature of these different "bodies" and try to figure out what the bard is saying.

5. Shakespeare wrote Hamlet just after Julius Caesar. That said, what is Shakespeare saying about women with his Gertrude-Ophelia and Calpurnia-Portia duos? Does he reduce women to one lowest common denominator, or is he multi-perspectival? If extremely different, why the differences? For what purpose?

6. If you have a thesis/prompt that you think you'd like to pursue that is not here, please run it by me first and I'll consider letting you pursue it with a vengeance ; )

Tuesday, Wednesday, and Block, 3/4, 5, and 6 - Lettuce begin Act 4 ; )

Reno as Hamlet, during my "heavier" phase

• P&P

• Begin Act 4 . . . and J8 (due next Monday, 3/11)

• Order of coming events:
• Mon - J8
• Tues - test
• Thurs - THICE (Take Home In Class Essay)

J8 - Hamlet: Acts 4-5

1. What are several ways in which Shakespeare shows chaos following in the wake of Polonius's murder? 
2. How is Ophelia's confusing of Hamlet and Polonius in her songs doubly significant?
3. How does Laertes mirror Hamlet? How is his mirroring significantly different, specifically as regards his philosophy of revenge?
4. How is Claudius like Hamlet's father's ghost?
5. How does Claudius plan for Laertes to take revenge on Hamlet, and what is significant about this method?
6. What is the purpose of Act 5 beginning in a graveyard . . . with Hamlet talking to a skull?
7. Why is it fitting for the play to end with a fencing match?
8. What is significant about how the major characters die in the final scene? 
9. What is Fortinbras's situation at the end of the play and why is this significant?

Monday, 3/3 - Act 3 . . . again ; )

• P&P

• Check J7 (Act 3)

• Try to finish Act 3

HW: None (finish J7 if you have not yet finished)

Block, 2/27 - Act 3 cont'd

8 Week Old Baby Reno Alive and Beating in the Womb

• P&P

• Continue with Act 3 (Try to finish)

HW: Finish J7 over the weekend. See yesterday's post.

Tuesday and Wednesday, 2/24-25 - Yah. Sorry 'bout yesterday ; )

• P&P

• Quick J6 spot check (Tues)

• Announcement: I'll be gone Wednesday, so here is the assignment: Begin working on as much of J7 as you can answer. We will continue Act 3 when I return. Please pray for our time at the doctor. Blessings, my little poppies!

J7 - Hamlet: Act 3 (consult Leithart and Hamlet itself)

1. Though fundamentally opposites, how are Ophelia and Claudius similar, according to Leithart? 
2. What tendencies do Hamlet and Claudius share?
3. How is Claudius a complex character (in other words, how is he more than mere monster)?
4. What factors contribute to Hamlet's hatred of marriage (and women in particular)?
5. What is the double-edged nature of the play (what is doubly significant about the death of the player king and his murderer)? In other words, how does the court interpret it? How does Claudius interpret it?
6.  What is Claudius struggling with when Hamlet finds him praying? Explain his biblical allusion ("primal eldest curse"), his distinction between earthly and heavenly justice, and his subsequent dilemma (what would be required of true repentance?).
7. Explain how Hamlet's deliberation in killing Claudius shows us he is increasing in madness (specifically as it pertains to vengeance).
8. Explain several of the ways in which the death of Polonius is the turning point ("lynch pin") of the play.
9. What is ironic about Hamlet's attempt to hold up a mirror to Gertrude? What does this tell us about Hamlet's moral constitution? 
10. Given that the murder of Polonius is the murder of another father, what can we expect to see in the immediate future?

Monday, 2/24 - Do J6 during class today

do J6.

Block, 2/13 - J6

• P&P

• Finish Act 2 together. 

HW: I'll have mercy on y'all. J6 will be due the Tuesday of your return . . . not Monday ; )

J6 - Hamlet: Act 2 (Leithart 130-139)

1. Why does Act 2 begin with Polonius's seeming impertinent dialogue with Reynaldo? 
2. What are the two results of spying?
3. What is extremely significant about the ambassadors' news upon returning from Norway (and what does it have to do with Hamlet)?
4. What is so significant about Hamlet's alleged madness? In other words, why is everyone so concerned about him?
5. What are the theories concerning Hamlet's madness and who holds each theory? (There are at least three.)
6. What is Hamlet's purpose behind his "verbal fencing"?
7. What are the implications to Hamlet's calling Polonius a "fishmonger"?
8.  Explain the meaning behind Hamlet's warning to Polonius: "For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being a god kissing carrion--Have you a daughter? . . . Let her not walk i' the sun. Conception is a blessing, but as your daughter may conceive--friend' look to 't."
9. Explain why Hamlet reacts so emotionally upon hearing the first players speech. 
10. How will the play The Murder of Gonzago relate to the theme of spying?

 

Wednesday, 2/12 - "The serpent that did sting thy father's life

Now wears his crown" (1.5.46-47)

• P&P

• How many of you will be absent next week?

Tuesday, 2/11 - "Be wary, then; best safety lies in fear.

Youth to itself rebels, though none else near" (1.347-48).

• P&P

• A note on Shakespeare's lost manuscript

• Starting place: page 43 (1.3.57)

Monday, 2/10 - Hamlet's ghost

Blue Steel? Le Tigre? No . . . Magnum.

• P&P

• Check J5 (discuss later)

• Let's keep rolling through the drachma ; )

Block, 2/6 - Bloodlet

• P&P

• Discuss J4

• Yes, Hamlet is about a bloodletting of the Kingdom of Denmark. Let's see how it gets there ; ) 

• Pick up where we left off . . .

HW: Do J5 below

J5 - Hamlet: Act 1

1. What dramatic and thematic purposes does Fortinbras, the young prince of Norway, serve? 
2. Contrast the late King Hamlet (the ghost) with Claudius (his brother and present King of Denmark).
3. What is significant (and ironic) about fathers, particularly about most of the fathers in this drama?
4. How does Shakespeare develop the theme that appearances sometimes mask reality (cite two examples)?
5. What is the purpose of Shakespeare's "ghosts"?
6. Discuss the important question concerning the "nature" of the ghost (where it comes from) and how we know. 
7. How was King Hamlet killed? What imagery does the ghost use to describe his death, and why is this (biblically) significant?

 

Christian Worship: What Is It?

What is worship?

Before we even try to scratch the surface, you should know that this is merely the surface. 

Psalm 100 - All people that on earth do dwell